Worthington to consider 3 broadband options at May 5 Town Meeting

WORTHINGTON -- After several years of cautious debate while residents and businesses struggled without high-speed internet, local officials have come up with three distinct broadband options.

Town Meeting voters on May 5 will be asked to choose between a town-owned fiber network, a fiber network owned by a third party, and traditional Comcast cable service.

There are pros and cons to each approach, said Charley Rose, a Selectboard member and chairman of the Worthington Broadband Committee. He said people should attend an informational forum set for April 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the Conwell Elementary School at 147 Huntington Rd.

"I am excited that we are finally able to present options to the town, and that the options we have are all so strong," said Municipal Light Board chairman Bart Niswonger.

Option one would have the town procure the design and construction of a $2.86 million fiber-to-the-home network. A state grant would cover $1.07 million, leaving $1.79 million to be paid with a 20-year bond. The monthly subscriber fee is estimated at $75 to $125. With 320 households on board, subscribers could carry the debt service, according to the committee.

Option two would have Matrix Design Group and Millenium Communications build, own, and operate a high-speed fiber network. The monthly fee would be a little higher, at $100 to $140 per month. The town would acquire the right-of-way on utility poles. That "make ready" work is estimated at around $1 million, which the town would pay, and the state would reimburse.

Option three would have Comcast build and own a cable network. The upside is that Comcast would offer cable television and digital telephone service options. The downside is that the network would still cost the town $571,905, and speeds would be slower than fiber. Basic internet service would start at around $60 per month.

Of 45 original Massachusetts towns unserved by high-speed internet, Worthington is among the last to push forward with a solution.

Local officials have waited and watched out of an "abundance of caution," said Rose. Efforts by two successive governors to bridge the "digital divide" have seen their twists and turns, he noted.

"If it were up to me, we would have put this to a vote two years ago," he said. "Every time I go the transfer station, it's the only thing people want to talk about."

Rose said "good, smart people in local government" have been conducting their due diligence, and are now ready to move forward. He said he believes residents are also ready to make a commitment.

Currently, some Worthington residents pay for "satellite" internet, and a limited number of households have DSL from Verizon. The DSL technology relies upon copper telephone wires, and Verizon is phasing it out.

"If you buy a house in Worthington, and the previous owner had DSL, Verizon won't let you have a new account," Rose said. "A number of people have been surprised by that."

He said the new owner of the Worthington Golf Club could not get DSL after the service was turned off for the winter. David Pollard bought the classic 1904 ten-hole course, and Verizon would not reactivate the connection, even though the club previously had DSL service.

Gov. Charlie Baker in November signed a bond bill authorizing $32 million for local network builds, adding to $50 million previously earmarked. Towns must still pick up around 40 percent of the capital costs if they choose to build their own networks.

"High-speed internet will be a game-changer," said Rose. "We're all pretty excited about it." He said regardless of the option chosen, it could be 18 months to two years before the service is available.

The decision comes as Worthington prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary this summer with a parade and fireworks.